Do you not think it's got to the stage now though where Putin is fed up with the UK and Uncle Sam's hypocrisy? I find him as intriguing a man as there is in the world or has been in the world for the past 40 years. He certainly is a dictator and has committed serious crimes but it can't be denied how interesting he is.

He’s a fallow imitation of Stalin. He’s not really interesting even as a curio. Russia had a chance for a new beginning and chose a KGB strongman. When the world goes renewable they are so fûcked it isn’t funny. And few will be all that upset about it.

If he was smart he would have used the money to develop other industries and modernise Russia as an open society that people want to do business with rather than feel compelled to do business with. Instead he enriched himself and brought about the era of the oligarch.

It has been an unexpected d1. Most people would have thought Kerry and Tyrone would have put it up to Dublin with Galway for the chop. And very few would have predicted Mayo and Donegal battling it out to avoid relegation. What it all means for the championship, if it means anything, is the big question.

Kildare as expected are relegated. Dublin as expected are in the league final. Tyrone and Kerry were expected to survive. Mayo as expected leave all their eggs in the last game basket. Monaghan as expected did what they had to do. All you are left with are Galway - who to be fair have been a surprise. And Donegal who have been unpredictable the last couple of years.

So I suppose from a Galway perspective it has been unexpected, but the rest lies with the usual run of the mill!

When I heard Galway had been training hard since early November it was obvious what they were trying to do. The reason Mayo still remain warm favourites for the May meeting is that few are genuinely fooled by the illusions cast by spring football.

It has been an unexpected d1. Most people would have thought Kerry and Tyrone would have put it up to Dublin with Galway for the chop. And very few would have predicted Mayo and Donegal battling it out to avoid relegation. What it all means for the championship, if it means anything, is the big question.

Seems like Mattie Donnelly was allowed the freedom of the pitch today, class player like that needs more attention ffs. Parsons seemed to be his man but looked like he struggled (from the highlights)

Andy should get 12 weeks but will probably get off as the ref dealt with it. Cavanagh's black shouldn't have been anything. Boyle's first was probably a red. Tyrone player's red was a very dirty challenge

Agree with that assessment, Andy moran should get the same punishment that connolly and comerford got last year for altercations with an official. Cavanaghs black was baffling, probably a call made from the linesman rather than deegan given he was right beside it. Boyle and mcnultys challenges were almost identical

Boyle and McNulty challenge were not near identical. McNultys was a challenge going for the ball, I’m not even sure he saw Keegan coming. Boyles was a late hit long after the ball was gone.

McNulty led with the elbow. Both were trampish tackles

+1

Tymoanies trying to play up Boyle’s and at the same time play down McNulty’s need to check themselves.

Hitchen's article does reflects the point I've been making (the Putin is a nasty piece of work point is neither here nor there), What is the point of the UK's actions? The hastiness of it? what is their endgame? Hitchens doesn't go into that territory but I do think there's an element of Brexit deflection, teeing up Corbyn for a self-implosion & May hoping it might be the thing that saves her personally - her Falklands.

There's plenty of politicking going on now but you still have to call a spade a spade. If Corbyn decides to help the Tories and feed into all the worst perceptions about him that is his problem and neither here nor there - the Russians committed this act of terror.

The fact he got away with waging a war against the Ukraine so easily seems to be the point at which Putin realised he didn’t even need to make a perfunctory attempt to appear not to be a self-interested dictator. He literally invaded the Ukraine without a casus belli and occupied it. All bets were off after that. He has became progressively more transparently evil in recent years.

The reason he’s used such absurdly complicated and identifiable assassination vectors is because he want any and all potential defectors or leaks to know exactly what happens when you cross him, what lengths he will go to and how little regard he has for another nation’s sovereignty when carrying out these acts. The message is if you cross the Russian Tsar you are never safe. He couldn’t give a shît what Britain or the West thinks.

Once more we mixed the sublime (Ciaráin's outrageous late point esp) with the ridiculous (first 20 minutes of each half) but got away with another 2 points.2 late frees missed by Cavan helped. We really dug it out in that last 15 minutes winning it 5-1.Domican and Brian Stack the pick of the defence, Comphone showing what he can do at midfield and Ciaráin the pick of the forwards.Subs added to things greatly and let's hope the cool clean here starts his best team in June and July .I believe it's Down/Tipp next weekend, Final round back to Easter weekend and the Final 7/8 April.

Reilly appeared to favour us a lot, several body checked and fouls waved on but if probably balances out over the course of a league. Doubt if I was ever as cold in the Hyde. Ross ground it out but holy f**k the first 20 mins of both halves were puck from our perspective

Cavan got as many calls for as against. The Cavan manager was having a laugh after the match saying a game is 20% about the ref. If you want to win those types of matches it’s as much about the man on the sideline making the right calls as the ref or the players. Our subs delivered, Cavan’s didn't.